Sleeping Arrangements
by starbuckfaerie21
Summary: This is what would have happened if Ryan had been more supportive of Marissa after her nightmare in “The Swells.” Some dialogue taken from the actual episode.


**Sleeping Arrangements**

**Disclaimer: **The O.C belongs to Josh Schwartz and FOX and it a perfect world Ben Mackenzie would belong to me as well.

**Pairing:** Ryan/ Marissa (Mack/Mish)

**Summary:** This is what would have happened if Ryan had been more supportive of Marissa after her nightmare in "The Swells." Some dialogue taken from the actual episode.

**Rating: T**

Marissa knew that she was falling asleep, and tonight, like every other night since the shooting, she dreaded it. For months now, she had been having nightmares. Her sleep always started out peaceful enough and then morphed into a terrifying dreamscape of images framed by familiar voices, sometimes her own but mostly Ryan's and Trey's. Ryan's voice usually had a calming effect on her but when it was mingled with Trey's, the sound made her sick to her stomach.

As Marissa drifted off to sleep and began to dream she heard herself saying to Ryan.

"_My life just doesn't work without you."_

She heard the waves crashing on the beach and suddenly the sense of serenity she felt was replaced by the sound of Trey's wolfish howling. She saw herself fighting to get free of Trey as he thrust his weight on top of her and tried to kiss her.

Then she heard Ryan's voice.

"_He's my brother."_

The words reverberated over and over in her mind and grew louder until the sounds were deafening.

Suddenly the dreamscape shifted and she heard her own tearful pleas as she stood in the hotel room watching the two brothers' struggle.

"_Trey, get off of him. Please…you're killing him!"_

She was standing there again in Alex's old apartment, holding that gun, she pulled the trigger and the shot rang out. The events of the dream seemed to slow down, like a video being played in slow-motion as Trey turned to look at her just before he fell, his face stained with blood.

Marissa awoke gasping for breath, her body covered in a thin sheen of cold sweat. She opened her eyes, terrified and shaking. It took a moment to remember exactly where she was.

"_At Summer's,"_ She reminded herself as she rolled over and saw her best friend slumbering peacefully beside her. For that moment Marissa envied Summer. While Marissa's heart pounded in her chest Summer slept on, blissfully ignorant of the terrifying nightmare that she had lived through and was now haunted by.

Careful not to disturb Summer, Marissa got out of bed and grabbed her phone off the bedside table and headed for the bathroom.

She closed the door and dialed Ryan's number, sighing heavily in an effort to calm down.

At four a.m. the ringing of Ryan's cell phone woke him from sleep and with a reluctant grunt he rolled over to answer it, flipping on the lamp and squinting against the light as the phone kept ringing.

_Twice._

_Three times._

"Yeah?" Ryan answered his voice thick with the remnants of sleep.

"Hey," Marissa said quickly. "It's me."

She could hear the rustling of the sheets as Ryan sat up in bed.

"Are you okay?" Ryan asked his concern for her evident in his voice.

"No…I mean yes…but I had a dream…and Trey was there again… and so were you and it was happening all over…Look, I'm sorry to wake you up okay, but I'm just scared."

"I know… I know…but you don't have to be." Ryan said trying to soothe her. "Trey's gone…everything's fine."

"Can I come over?"

Ryan could tell from the sound of her voice that she was close to tears.

"Yeah…Whatever you need…I'll be here."

"See you soon."

Ryan leaned on his elbows in bed waiting for Marissa. He sighed. He knew that everything that had happened with Trey would have consequences…for both of them…but everything seemed to be much worse for Marissa…the attack, the shooting, getting expelled from Harbor, and now the nightmares.

_And the worst part about it is that I don't know what I can do to help her._

Ryan shook his head to clear it as he saw Marissa's slender shadowed figure approach the pool house door. She raised her hand to knock, but Ryan shook his head and waved her inside, not wanting to wake the Sandy, Kirsten and Seth.

"Hey," he whispered softly relishing in her appearance at his door at this hour.

_A guy could get used to this._

He allowed himself that one pleasant thought before he took in her wrinkled pajamas bottoms and beige tank top, tear-stained face, tangled hair, and the dark circles under her eyes.

"You all right?"

"Not really. I'm sorry I bothered you I just…"

"Hey, you didn't bother me."

He put a comforting arm around her shoulder and kissed her softly.

It was then that he noticed the cold dampness that sweat had left on her skin and felt her body shaking.

"You want to take a hot shower? It might help you relax enough to get some sleep."

"Ryan Atwood, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to seduce me."

She drew him into a kiss and he laughed against her skin.

"As tempting as that sounds, I don't think it's what you need right now. Let me get you a towel."

Marissa smiled gratefully as he handed her a fluffy white towel.

"Thanks…for letting me come over…"

"Riss, you don't have to thank me…or keep apologizing. We'll get through this together, okay?"

"Okay," Marissa replied softly.

Ryan kissed her lips softly again.

"Take your time. I'll be here when you're done."

When Marissa came out of the shower twenty minutes later, dressed in the same pajama bottoms and tank top with her hair dripping, she found Ryan idly flipping through the television channels.

"Hey, feeling any better?" He asked as he patted the empty space on the bed next to him in invitation.

"Yeah, taking a shower was a good idea." She sat next to Ryan and rested her head on his shoulder.

Ryan kissed her lips gently and turned off the T.V.

"You ready to try and get some sleep?"

"What if I wake you up?"

"Do you snore?" Ryan asked sarcastically.

"I don't think so."

"Then we shouldn't have a problem."

"Night Ryan. I love you." She said resting her head on his bare chest, letting his heartbeat lull her into slumber.

"Love you too, Riss." He mumbled his voice already clouded with sleep as he draped an arm protectively around her shoulder.

Marissa wondered if she would finally get some sleep tonight.

_He's my brother."_

"_Trey, get off of him. Please…you're killing him!"_

_The sound of gunfire._

They had both been asleep several hours when Ryan felt Marissa jump in her sleep. The movement jarred him to awareness as he heard Marissa whimper softly.

"Riss?" He whispered, not wanting to frighten her further during what he knew could only be another nightmare.

"Marissa, it's just a dream," He whispered in her ear. If he couldn't wake her, he was going to try and make her comfortable while she slept.

She whimpered again and cried out in her sleep.

"Riss, its Ryan. You're okay…You're okay…shh…"

Ryan stroked her hair and kissed away the salty tears that ran down her cheeks, ignoring the slick spot on his chest where the tears pooled.

Ryan felt Marissa's body tremble under his hand as he grazed her shoulder, and pulled the comforter up to her chin, without releasing her from his embrace.

"Shh, go back to sleep Marissa. You're safe….I promise I'll keep you safe."

Within minutes Marissa breathing had evened out and she was asleep.

The next morning Ryan woke up before is alarm went off; he turned it off before heading to the shower so it wouldn't disturb Marissa.

He came out of the shower, dressed and alert to find Marissa still nuzzled in the warm spot in the bed where his body had been. He couldn't help but notice the way the morning sunlight streamed through the curtains and struck her blonde hair.

He kissed the space between her neck and shoulder and she stirred.

"Morning." He whispered.

"Mhmmm, morning."

"I've got to get to school soon."

"Why don't you take the day off from Union, and catch up on your rest?"

"I'll stay here, if you stay here." She mumbled grasping his hand and pulling him back into bed beside her.

_Harbor can live without me for the day._

Ryan thought as he surrendered to her pleas and drifted back to sleep tangled in her arms.

_Finis_


End file.
